Baseball battled vs #4 Nova Southeastern in Florida

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida – The American International College baseball team fell to #4 Nova Southeastern University 6-1 on Tuesday, March 8.

FAST FACTS:
FINAL SCORE: Nova 6, AIC 1
RECORDS: AIC moves to 4-3 while Nova Southeastern 17-0
Win: Cooper Omans (3-0), Loss: Brandon Gaul (0-1)
LOCATION: NSU Baseball Complex Fort Lauderdale, Florida

KEY STATS:
AIC:
Brandon Gaul: Loss (0-1), 5.2 innings pitched, nine hits, five earned runs, two strikeouts, 86 pitches
Cameron Fitzgerald: 1-for-3, one RBI
Angel Mendez: 1-for-3, one double
Dalton Quinn: 1-for-2, one double
Michael Cruz: 2-for-2, one double, one run

Nova Southeastern:
Cooper Omans: Win (3-0), 3.0 innings pitched, three hits, no runs, three strikeouts
Micahel Avendano: 1-for-2, two RBI
Stephen Schissler: 2-for-4, one RBI, one triple
Gabriel Rivera: 1-for-4, one RBI, one run, one triple
Adam Frank: 2-for-4

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The fourth-ranked Sharks scored two runs in the first and one in the third to take a 3-0 lead.
• In the top of the fourth senior Angel Mendez hit a double to right-center with two outs. Junior Michael Cruz walked but the Sharks were able to get out of the inning.
• The Sharks added a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth.
• AIC put a run on the board in the sixth inning. Cruz led off the inning with a six-pitch walk. After an out, Cruz stole second. Sophomore Cameron Fitzgerald dug into the box with two outs and singled through the right side which allowed Cruz to score.
• Nova added a run in the seventh to extend their lead to 6-1.
• In the top of the ninth Mendez and Cruz got things started with back-to-back walks. Senior Dalton Quinn was at the plate with one out when he hit into a fielder's choice and the Sharks took the out at third to put them one out away from winning the game. Fitzgerald singled to left and the Yellow Jackets had the bases loaded but couldn't convert as the Sharks forced a ground out.

NEXT UP:

• The Yellow Jackets will take on regional foe Bloomfield College on Wednesday, March 9 at 10 a.m.